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A bowl of hearty Vegetable Beef Soup with chunks of beef, potatoes, carrots, and peas in a savory broth, served with slices of bread on the side.

Vegetable Beef Soup

Mandy Applegate
A bowl of Vegetable Beef Soup is one of those meals that makes life feel a little more manageable, no matter how busy things get. It’s hearty enough to satisfy on chilly nights yet simple enough to pull together without much effort. You can serve it for a cozy weeknight dinner, as part of your fall comfort food lineup, or even keep it on hand as a go-to winter meal. Since it can be made ahead and frozen, you’ll always have a warm, filling option ready when you need it most.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 350 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound stewing beef cut into cubes
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 celery stalks sliced
  • 3 carrots chopped
  • 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 6 cups beef broth or beef stock
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 potatoes cubed
  • 1 cup frozen peas

Instructions
 

  • Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot over high heat until hot. Pat the beef dry with paper towels, season with salt and pepper, and brown in 2–3 batches. Transfer the browned beef to a bowl and set aside.
    1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 pound stewing beef, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • Add a little more oil if the pot is dry. Sauté onion and garlic for 2 minutes. Stir in the celery and carrots, and cook for another 2 minutes, until the onion is soft.
    1 onion, 3 garlic cloves, 2 celery stalks, 3 carrots
  • Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir well. Slowly pour in the beef broth, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
    4 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 6 cups beef broth or beef stock
  • Add tomato paste, bay leaves, thyme, potatoes, and the browned beef. Stir to combine. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 45 minutes, or until the beef is tender.
    2 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 2 potatoes
  • Add peas and cook uncovered for 15–20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the soup has thickened. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
    1 cup frozen peas
  • Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve with crusty bread for dipping.

Video

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Notes

  • Choose your soup pot: A Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed large pot holds heat evenly while the soup simmers, keeping the beef tender and the vegetables from sticking.
  • Go with stew meat for authentic beef stew flavor: Stew meat gives beef vegetable soup its hearty, tender chunks. While ground beef can work in a pinch, it doesn’t give you the same texture or richness, and the soup ends up more like hamburger soup instead.
  • Soften vegetables first: Sauté onion, garlic, celery, and carrots before adding liquid to bring out their natural sweetness. Otherwise, they’ll taste flat, and the broth won’t develop the same depth of flavor.
  • Try yellow onion: A yellow onion can replace a white onion in this soup, giving it a slightly sweeter, more mellow flavor.
  • Don’t boil: Keep the heat on medium-low so the soup stays at a gentle simmer rather than a rapid boil. This keeps the beef tender instead of tough and lets the veggies soften evenly.
  • Boost with lima beans: Lima beans bring a creamy, buttery texture that makes the soup more filling. Add them toward the end to hold their shape if you're using them.
  • Use okra wisely: Okra releases a natural starch when cooked, which acts as a natural thickener, so use it sparingly if you like a slightly richer, stew-like texture. If you add too much, the soup can become too thick and slimy.
  • Stir in peas at the end: Waiting to stir in peas until the last 15–20 minutes keeps them bright and firm. If you add them too soon, they’ll overcook, lose their color, and turn mushy in the broth.

Nutrition

Calories: 350kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 20gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 54mgSodium: 1208mgPotassium: 889mgFiber: 5gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 5379IUVitamin C: 29mgCalcium: 67mgIron: 4mg
Keyword Vegetable Beef Soup
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